NBA Player News

Since arriving in Las Vegas, James’ playing time has increased compared to his minutes during the Lakers’ games at the California Classic. He was solid against the Pelicans, providing value on both ends of the floor. While the chances of him impacting fantasy basketball next season are slim, Bronny’s best path to playing time may be showing that he can be a factor defensively. James recorded two steals and a block after failing to record a steal or blocked shot in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks. Stats don’t tell the whole story defensively, but being more active in that area will only boost Bronny’s prospects.

Having missed Orlando’s last three games, Suggs appears likely to miss a fourth, based on the doubtful tag. Tyus Jones has replaced him in the starting lineup, but Suggs’ absence has done more for Anthony Black’s fantasy value than Jones’.

Since returning to the bench in favor of Sam Merrill, Tyson’s productivity has actually increased. Following an 18-point effort on Tuesday, he tallied another 16 on Thursday to go along with six rebounds and two three-pointers. Tyson’s fantasy ceiling has decreased somewhat with the move to the bench, but he’s still worth holding onto in deep leagues until Max Strus is healthy enough to play. As for Merrill, he finished Thursday’s defeat with 11 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals and two three-pointers.

Mobley made his return to action far sooner than expected, and he was brought off the bench on Thursday. The forward/center was limited to 25 minutes, and while there wasn’t any defensive production, what Mobley did provide was solid. Dean Wade, whose defending of Jalen Brunson was critical, remained in the starting lineup and finished with six points, four rebounds, two assists and one three-pointer. Wade should remain a starter until Mobley’s restriction is lifted, but his fantasy value still takes a hit.

Slowly but surely, Garland is regaining the burst that made him one of the more difficult point guards to defend before his toe injury. The Cavaliers’ point guard shot 6-of-9 from the field in the first three quarters and finished with his second 20-point double-double in three games. While his season-long fantasy value remains low, Garland has been a top-75 player over the last two weeks.

Mitchell came out hot on Christmas Day, shooting 5-of-6 from the field in the first quarter. He finished with a robust stat line, recording his third 30-point game in the last four. Unfortunately for Mitchell and the Cavaliers, they were unable to avoid losing a 17-point lead, falling to 17-15 on the season. Cleveland ends its Week 10 slate in Houston on Saturday.

Fresh off the most productive game of his NBA career, Kolek had another impactful performance on Christmas Day. The second-year guard finished one assist shy of a double-double and combined with Jordan Clarkson to score 41 points. Kolek may not be at the point where he’s a must-roster player, but Josh Hart’s fourth-quarter ankle injury may open up additional minutes for the Knicks’ reserves.

As much as Christmas Day games focus on name-brand stars, the Knicks’ bench was the difference in Thursday’s victory. Clarkson and Tyler Kolek spearheaded an 18-0 second-quarter run that erased a terrible start, and both made key plays during the second half to complete the rally. Clarkson’s 25 points are a season-high, and he’s reached double figures in four of his last five games. If Josh Hart (ankle) has to miss time, Clarkson’s opportunities will likely increase despite coming off the bench.

Towns fell into the bad habit of committing silly fouls, as two within the first two-plus minutes parked him on the bench early in the first quarter. While the scoring wasn’t there, KAT did grab a game-high 14 rebounds, including a putback of a Tyler Kolek miss with 27.3 seconds remaining that gave New York a four-point lead. Towns and Mitchell Robinson (13 rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot) combined to corral 27 of New York’s 43 rebounds on the day. The Knicks end Week 10 with a game against the Hawks on Saturday.

Brusnon and the Knicks got off to a brutally slow start on Christmas Day, making just two of their first 15 shot attempts. New York would get off the mat during the second and fourth quarters, but it was the bench that sparked the rallies as opposed to Brunson. The captain finished with his 15th game of 30 points or more, so all wasn’t lost for those who have him rostered. And individual plus/minus, which can be a flawed stat to begin with, is not a scoring category in fantasy leagues.

Hart was not on the court to finish Thursday’s comeback victory, as he sprained his right ankle on a drive to the basket early in the fourth quarter. The Knicks’ wing made his free throws and then limped back to the locker room after the team gave an intentional foul. Hart would not return, but he was on the bench to watch the Knicks complete their comeback. Tyler Kolek was part of the closing lineup, and he could take on an expanded role if Hart misses time.